B2B Email: The Basics of Creating Effective Emails
Email marketing is becoming a reliable promotion channel for many b2b companies (from the English version of “business to business” - “business to business”). This model assumes business interactions not with the end consumer, but with companies. The specifics of email marketing for b2b are significantly different from b2c. In what these distinctive features are manifested and how to work with them, we will try to understand our article.
How do western b2b companies rate email marketing?
More and more b2b companies use this marketing channel. Its effectiveness is confirmed by the Regalix poll . To the question: “Which of the marketing channels do you consider the most effective?”, 71% of b2b respondents said that this is email marketing.
According to the results of the same study, 48% of representatives of b2b companies surveyed plan to increase spending on email marketing. This is because email marketing increases ROI: for every $ 1 spent, email marketing brings in $ 40 .
Analyzing the development trend of email marketing in the West, we can say that this channel does not need to be circumvented by domestic b2b companies either. Follow the key rules for developing a letter, form a clear understanding of the interests and needs of your target audience. Only under these conditions can an email newsletter produce the desired results.
When developing a strategy for b2b email marketing, you need to understand some of the features that affect the decision making of your audience. They are manifested in the following:
- Long decision making process. Before you plan an email campaign and select content for distribution, you need to realize that buying for business needs involves a collective solution. When receiving a letter, the subscriber does not make hasty decisions, since no one will ever buy a plane after reading a single email. Before you agree to the proposal, you need a number of “approvals” from specialists, managers, financiers and directors.
- Decisions are not made emotionally. Keep in mind that a subscriber will not make a decision spontaneously and emotionally, as often happens after receiving newsletters from b2c companies, but weighing all the pros and cons. This decision will be dictated by logic, analysis of all risks and will be rational in all respects.
Before agreeing to your offer, the subscriber will carry out all the necessary commercial calculations, calculations related to forecasting, risk, because modern business requires rational economic thinking. The more accurate the calculation, the more profitable the result.
Now let's look at the basic elements of writing and tips for creating each of them for the b2b segment.
Subject of the letter
Use less than 10 characters in the subject of the letter, so you can increase your discoveries to 58% .
To find the most effective words for the topic, we used the Adestra rating , which is based on discoveries, clicks, CTO (the ratio of unique clicks to unique discoveries). For b2b sectors, the most effective are:
1. Words that describe the content:
- "reminder"
- Sensational
- Mentioning the name of the copywriter in the letter
Topics from several blocks separated by a horizontal line also showed excellent results: openability +27.5%, CTR +90.7%, and CTO +14.2%.
2. Words that describe the time of mailing:
- "daily"
- "this week"
3. Words that are related to the subscription process:
- "is free"
- "subscription"
- "Update"
- "trial"
CTA
No calls to action in the form: “Only now”, “Only today” or “2 days left before the end of the action”. These persuasion methods do not work in mailings for b2b companies, since such an audience does not make spontaneous purchases. Give your reader time, convince with the help of multiple touches, but without unnecessary obsession.
Place a call to action at the top of the letter so that the subscriber does not have to scroll for a long time, and he immediately understands what he needs to do next.
Content of the letter
Given the peculiarity that decisions in the field of b2b are made rationally, select content that will satisfy the rational thinking of the subscriber. Below is a plate that will familiarize you with all types of content that can be used in b2b email newsletters, depending on the stages of a client's decision:
You can learn about other types of content and how to use them in b2b in our last article .
To understand what information your audience needs, use site analytics, analyze questions from existing customers. They are faced every day by your sales or customer support managers.
Doubts must be dispelled.“Dubito ergo sum” - “To doubt means to exist”, this Latin wisdom is just about those who make rational decisions. Therefore, try to dispel all doubts of the addressee with the necessary facts and enumerate the advantages in the email newsletter. In the example below, the manufacturer makes the technical characteristics of its product a writing feature.
Moderation and rigor in design and fonts
If you analyze the design of b2c company mailings, the first thing you notice is vibrant color schemes, a large number of images and flashy calls to action. It’s best not to use all this in the b2b mailing list, as the effect on emotions will not go away. If you intend to use images, choose those that will talk about the benefits and characteristics of your product. No matter how modern b2b marketers try to use visual content, the main priority is still text. But do not make it too long, because the subscriber will simply not have time to review everything that you sent.
In order to ensure good readability of the letter, follow these guidelines:
- The font should be in contrast. Most often, in email newsletters, compilers use black font color on a white background. But you can use the opposite option. As in the example below. Sony Corporation uses a white font on a black background in its email, and the letter is easy to read because the contrast between the font color and the background color is maintained.
- Do not use more than three fonts. Use one for the title, the other for the text itself. If you need to highlight something, you can take the third version of the font. Using more than three colors, the letter looks inaudible and tasteless.
- Choose the most optimal font size. Do not use too small a font. A font from 10 to 14 pins is considered the best for reading. This size should be used in email, especially if there will be a lot of textual information. The most important thing is not to tire the eyes of the subscriber so that he easily reads the message to the end.
- Use corporate colors. Design a template and color scheme in accordance with your corporate color, keeping the color palette that you use on the landing page of the site, in printed materials, exhibition stands. This will increase the recognition of the company.
Writing style
To begin with, we recall that in the Russian language there are five text styles: formal business, conversational, journalistic, scientific, and artistic. In our case, three will definitely fit:
1. The official business style. It is characterized by the following features: accuracy, uniqueness, the presence of specialized terminology. But the purpose of the email newsletter is not only to maintain business relationships, but also to inspire the reader to purchase, arouse interest in their product. Therefore, this writing style is best used in a mix with the following two.
2. Journalistic style- designed for the general reader and is aimed not only at logical, but also at emotional perception. This style includes articles, reports, essays. Without a doubt, this style should be used in letters, it will perfectly complement and brighten the business tone of your email communication with the subscriber.
3. The scientific style is also suitable for the educational content of your letters. The target audience of this style are scientists, specialists from diverse industries. The tasks that this style fulfills are to convey technical information, describe patterns, prove judgments, and train the subscriber. Characteristic features are strict logic, terminology, uniqueness. This style is used to write articles, scientific reports, lectures.
The formal style of the texts of these three styles will suit everyone. But whether to use the artistic and conversational style of communication in your letters is up to you.
Some more tips for your b2b mailing:
Let us have a choice
If the information that is enclosed in the email is 100% consistent with the recipient's expectations, its openness and clickability will increase with each letter sent. To do this, offer 3 or even 4 different subscriptions, from which the subscriber will be able to choose during registration. In the example below, a domestic metallurgical b2b company offers its subscriber to selectively subscribe to 4 different subscriptions.
Segment
In order to send relevant content, you need to divide your audience into groups, that is, segment. The main types of segmentation for b2b:
- by company size;
- by the position held by the contact person;
- the authority of the contact persons to make an important decision;
- by interest;
- by financial indicators of the company;
- by the degree of readiness for making a purchase;
- by purchase history.
Send conversations Letters
automation in the form of conversations will help gently and carefully help the audience to make a purchase decision. Using a chain of automated emails makes it easier to argue for your product or service. Such letters will successfully encourage subscribers to make decisions soon. We recommend sending no more than one letter per week, because the buying cycle in the b2b segment is longer.
Send on time.
Business owners in the B2B segment prefer to view commercial offers in the morning, from 8 to 10 hours. Entertaining content is better perceived in the evening, from 19 to 22.00.
We hope that our recommendations and tips will allow you to successfully apply email marketing in the b2b sphere and get the best results. Indeed, email marketing, with fairly small investments, expands your customer base and forms a loyal attitude to the company.
